Coconut Cake

¾ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
5 extra large eggs at room temperature
1 ½ t. pure almond extract
2 cups of sugar
1 ½ t. pure vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. soda
1 Cup buttermilk
7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat to 325. In mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the bowl after each egg. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix well. In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients. In three parts alternately add dry ingredient and the buttermilk to the batter; beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Grease 3, 9 inch round cake pans and then line with parchment paper on just the bottom. Grease the parchment. Divide the batter among the 3 pans. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is light brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove to a baking rack and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting and press coconut onto the tops and sides of cake. You can freeze this cake a few days ahead of time. Wrap in saran wrap and take out the day you need and then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting (This is a ton – you will use probably about ¾ of it but you can’t half the recipe because you need more than half)

1 pound cream cheese
1 t. pure vanilla extract
¾ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
½ t. pure almond extract
1 ½ pound powder sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and almond extract. Add the powder sugar and mix until smooth.